There is a story about how Shoestring Marketing was born. And, I tell my story all the time.

It's in the "About Me" section of my website. It's in my ebooks. It's in my sales-copy. When I host webinars and teleseminars, I start with the story behind Shoestring Marketing.

Why?

Because it helps my prospects connect with me.

The goal in telling my small business story is to show people that I personally know what it feels like to build a business on a shoestring budget. And that it CAN be done.

I tell my story so that I can try and convince people that if I can do it -- so can they.

If you really want to stand out from the crowd, then you have to connect with people on a deeper level.

It's not enough to tell people about the features of your product or service. Believe it or not, they really don't care that your widget is faster than the speed of light.

And, preaching the benefits your customers will receive when they use your widget isn't even enough anymore. Although focusing on benefits is an important part of marketing, your prospects need a reason to believe that your widget will improve their lives.

Nowadays, in this crazy, competitive world you need to connect your story to your prospect's problems. It's important that you show them that you have experienced what they are experiencing and that you know exactly what they are going through.

You need to connect to their pain on a truly emotional level, show them the solution and convince them to take action.

We all have a small business story to tell. Here's a simple 5-step process in order to use your story to add power and pizazz to your marketing:

1. Discover the personal story hidden behind your business. Why did you start your business? What problems are you trying to eliminate? What hurdles did you need to overcome?

2. Tell your story authentically and with passion. Obviously, your story needs to be a true rendition of what you personally experienced as a small business owner. If you are passionate about your story, your prospects will be passionate about your story.

3. Connect your story to your prospect's pain points. It's vital that your story zeroes in on the problems that your prospects are currently facing. Your story should create an immediate and lasting bond between you and your prospects.

4. Show them the solution. It's important that once you connect to your prospect's pain, that you immediately show them how to alleviate this pain. Show them that you have personally discovered the solution and, as a result, your problem has been solved.

5. Convince them to take action. Once you share your story, what do you want your prospects to do? Should they call a 1-800 number? Visit your website for more information? Or make a purchase? Each time you share your story, make it incredibly easy for your prospect to take the next step.

Connection is one of the main tools for the Shoestring Marketer. So, connect with your prospects and your customers on a deeper level by sharing the story behind your small business.

Jessica Swanson, “The Shoestring Marketer,” has helped entrepreneurs, all over the world, explode their businesses using cutting-edge, proven and completely free marketing strategies. To download your FREE Marketing Kit, which has helped thousands of entrepreneurs, just like you, learn the exact techniques for marketing their businesses for NO-COST, visit: Shoestring Marketing Kit